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Dental porcelain is a popular choice for cosmetic and restorative dental treatments due to its compatible look and feel alongside natural teeth—but porcelain’s beauty also matches its brawn. High-quality, dental-grade porcelain is as strong and durable as the tooth’s natural enamel and, when properly cared for, can last for years—or even decades! At Smile for Life Dental, our Elgin cosmetic dentist, Dean Lodding, DDS, creates durable, long-lasting smile restorations with porcelain veneers, crowns, and dental... Continue Reading

Pregnancy can be a joyous but overwhelming time in a person’s life, and good dental care is rarely the first thing on an expectant mother’s mind. However, being mindful of your oral health is actually an important part of safeguarding the overall health of both you and your baby. Dr. Dean Lodding is an Elgin-based family and cosmetic dentist with decades of experience helping his patients enjoy healthy, beautiful smiles. He is also deeply involved... Continue Reading

Stains on the teeth are a common—but nonetheless frustrating—concern. Many factors can contribute to discoloration, including certain foods and drinks (such as coffee, berries, and wine), tobacco use, some medications (such as tetracycline), and poor oral hygiene. In order to address teeth stains, individuals often turn to over-the-counter teeth whitening remedies. However, these are rarely as effective as professional whitening, and some can even harm your teeth. When only one of your teeth exhibits discoloration,... Continue Reading

While we typically do whatever we can to preserve as much of your natural tooth structure as possible, in some cases, extraction is actually the best option for your health and comfort. Our Elgin dentists offer a range of dental care procedures designed to meet your specific needs. For patients experiencing pain or who have severe damage or decay, root canal therapy is typically the first choice, as it allows for the removal of the... Continue Reading

A smile makeover is a completely customizable, multi-faceted treatment that can transform your smile and provide you with confidence for the future. However, patients sometimes wonder about how to ensure the longevity of their smile makeover results. In order to get the most out of your treatment, there are several things to keep in mind. First, it’s imperative that patients understand what a smile makeover is. A smile makeover can include many things, depending on... Continue Reading

While traditional braces can often efficiently straighten teeth, not everyone is interested in getting them—often because they don’t want noticeable brackets or wires disrupting their smile aesthetics. This is a totally understandable viewpoint, and one we hear frequently at Smile For Life Dental. In many cases, we can often accommodate a patient’s wishes for straighter teeth using Invisalign® or porcelain veneers instead. Both treatments have provided countless patients with the opportunity to improve the functional... Continue Reading

Regardless of how diligent one may be when it comes to taking good care of their teeth, even the slightest aesthetic concern can have an effect on the overall appearance of a person’s smile. Some of the most common cosmetic dental issues include chips, noticeable gaps, and very deep stains. Fortunately, there are two exceptional treatment options that can be performed to address these concerns; however, one is often more ideal than the other, depending... Continue Reading

The jawbone not only securely holds the roots of a tooth in place, but is also dependent on healthy teeth to stimulate bone cells. When a tooth is extracted or lost, bone tissue in that area recedes since the tooth’s roots are gone and are no longer able to enhance jawbone density. Bone deterioration after tooth loss can be a very serious problem in that it can create significant risks to surrounding teeth. In fact,... Continue Reading

The team at Smile for Life Dental want to be here for you in cases of a dental emergency during this unprecedented and challenging time. While our office is currently closed for routine procedures and other elective dental care options, our dentists are on standby for dental emergencies and can treat patients who are suffering from concerns that require immediate attention. In many cases, what qualifies as a dental emergency may vary; however, here is... Continue Reading

Many of us across the United States are under shelter-in-place orders or are simply doing our part to follow social distancing guidelines by remaining at home as much as possible. In fact, to achieve maximum levels of risk-management during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, Smile for Life Dental has temporarily closed, with the exception of treatment availability for dental emergencies. Since routine and preventative dental care options are so limited for individuals across America during this extraordinarily... Continue Reading